Building your Leader Brand
It was our first tournament of the season, and a crucial game for us. If we won, we would advance to the semi finals. If not, then we would have to rely on another team losing their next game. Obviously not a position we wanted be in. I did not come into the season in the best shape and it was beginning to show in the fourth quarter. I was missing shots I would normally make, and the player I was guarding had scored on me a few possessions in a row now. I could imagine my coach’s blood boiling as he watched my sloppy play. But for some reason I heard nothing from him on the sidelines, which made me even more nervous. Finally, the time came to sub me out.
As I approached the bench, I tried to stealthily make my way to the end but it was no use. “Ryan, come here.” It was coach. As I turned to face him, I braced myself for the verbal onslaught I was sure to receive. And while coach did not hold back in his critique, for some reason it didn’t hurt like other coaches I had played for. In fact, afterwards I sat down on the bench more motivated than ever. We won the game but I was not playing in the final minutes. However, that year I ended up having one of my best seasons ever! My coach had led me somewhere I was not ready to go on my own.
Growing up, many of my leadership lessons were learned on the basketball court, and I have always been fascinated by the concept of leadership. While it is intangible and hard to define, it is so obvious when it is not present in a team or organization; at least, to everyone outside the group that is. Furthermore, what elements pave the way for effective leadership? Is it position, skill set or attitude? Perhaps all of them?
While there are so many moving parts that make up leadership, I believe on some level it must consist of an ability to move oneself or a group of people from a location or state, to a new and better one (hopefully desired). In other words, to affect positive change. Furthermore, good leaders are able to replicate their competence and confidence in the lives of those that follow them.
Positive change, and replication.
However, in order for a leader to get to this place, they need to have influence. There needs to be something attractive enough in their leadership that people want to follow. My coach had that. For some reason no matter how hard he pushed me, it only inspired me more. Something other coaches had not been able to do. One day I ought to call him and ask how he did that. But for now, I will have to lean on the lessons I have learned in the workplace. I have seen that attractive leadership rarely has to do with competence. This is the common mistake many organizations make. Sure it has to be there on some level, but what I have observed is that emotional intelligence and a relational focus are far more important in being a leader people want to follow. So with that said here are 3 powerful principles for creating an attractive and influential personal leadership brand.
1. Influence requires involvement
Sounds pretty simple, but this is something many leaders miss. Building … and maintaining relationships should be the top priority of any leader. Your team needs to feel that you are invested in understanding, supporting and growing them as people. While it is important to be good at what you do and are able to provide the answers your team needs, ultimately people will follow compassion over competence. Of course the larger your team is, the more difficult this will become. However I would encourage you as a leader to set aside time to visit the different departments at your organization or be on the floor. Furthermore, make sure to prioritize time for your direct reports, promising young talent or next-gen leaders.
2. Vision is a verb, not a noun
Let me explain what I mean here. Many organizations treat vision, mission and values like a noun. We have them written in our employee handbooks or on a wall plaque, and maybe we might mention them at our AGM. In other words, we treat it like a thing we possess.
But influential leaders know that vision is not a thing we possess, but rather a thing we do; a verb. Studies show that vision drifts every 30 days in an organization. So that means if you are not constantly casting vision for your team, chances are they have forgotten it. An influential leader needs to make vision an action that they do regularly and connect it to the daily work of your team. This is what helps your team continue to see purpose and passion in what they do, and makes you an attractive leader.
3. Good pride comes in ownership
We have all heard it said before, “pride comes before the fall.” That is not the kind of pride I am talking about. Pride of ownership is the feeling of satisfaction one gets when they take responsibility for solving a problem, and thus get to take ownership for a successful outcome. However this is not something many of us get to experience in our workplaces. Often many managers focus on controlling behavior and end up parenting their team. The problem is this robs your people of pride of ownership and also stunts their growth. The result is an unmotivated and unproductive team that makes their home on the status quo. Deep down they know that if something gets too hard, their boss will solve it OR they will be shot down if they do try and implement a solution.
A great leader’s job is not to tell people what or what not to do, but to empower pride of ownership in their followers and help them grow from their mistakes.
So there you have it. Three tips for building an attractive leader brand. While I realize these tips are not always possible to implement all the time, the point is to be relentless in looking for opportunities to exercise them. Don’t let yourself off the hook, but push forward to find new ways to be a better leader! For those leaders who are serious about growth and making a positive impact in their spheres and would like some help with that, you can reach out to Michael Walker for a complimentary 45minute coaching conversation. You can reach Coach Mike at michael@capstonecoaching.ca We look forward to helping you achieve your desired success!
